Strand Title if applicable: People & Power

Programme Number, Final Title :PG016909 THE MAFIA AND MIGRANTS

Producer and Production Company name and contact details :

Emanuele Piano Invisible Dog invisibledog@email.com www.invisible-dog.com

Al Jazeera Producer/Program/Strand Editor contact details: Diarmuid Jeffreys /People & Power

AL Jazeera Bureau: Doha

Commissioning Executive name and contact details:Diarmuid Jeffreys

Date (this should correspond with the date of the TX Master record):

Timecode

Description of Scene

Audio

10:00:00:00

!!br0ken!!!!br0ken!!10:00:00:01

[ANW2149_06_Confined way – audio network]

1:06

1.10:00:02:10

[rescue operation – Italian Coast Guard/handout]

[Police Video - Carabinieri/handout]

10:00:45:11

Needed to boost this up a bit

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

10:00:55:07

VO

More than 600,000 migrants have arrived by boat in southern Italy over the past four years – seeking sanctuary from war, persecution and extreme poverty.

Most of them have been funneled straight into a network of around over 16007000 privately-run emergency reception centres. These are funded by Italy and the European Union - and operate under contracts issued by prefectures, the local offices of the Italian Ministry of Interior.

But as this investigation will show, the sheer number of arriving migrants in recent years - and inadequate monitoring of the way the centres are run - have left the system wide open to exploitation, corruption and abuse.

It’s grown into a hugely profitable business for both ruthless entrepreneurs and organized crime.

Sometimes with deadly consequences.

10:01:03:04

[contributor “Lamine Traore, Asylum seeker from SenegalProsecution witness, Asylum seeker from Senegal”]

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

10:01:11:00

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

10:01:26:22

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

10:01:38:00

Lamine Traoré

My friend was here with his bag in hand.

He was ready to go home because he was so sicksick of staying here.

This guy came up and asked: “Are you Bobb?”. He replied: “Yes, I’m Bobb”. Then guy hit him with the butt of his gun right here.

My friend punched him back.

Then the guy shot my friend straight inside his mouth. My friend fell down. The guy shot again.

Original vs.

Mon copain était ici avec sa sac a main, il était prêt a partir chez lui parce qu’il en avait marre de rester ici

Mon gars est venu, il a dit «c’est toi bobb?». Il repondu, «oui c’est moi bobb». Il a donné un coup de tête de pistolet ici, mon gars a riposté en donnant un coup.

Ici le gars a tiré mon gars, directe dans sa bouche, mon gars il est tombé, il a tiré encore

10:01:06:10

[ANW2965_27_Under Waterphone – audio network]

35:14

10:01:33:01

[ANW1765_09_Running-Man – audio network]

10:01:40:12

[ANW2964_04 Waterworld – audio network]

1:30

10:01:42:18

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

VO

On November 14, 2017, in the outskirts of Gricignano d’Aversa, near Naples, 19 years old Gambian asylum seeker Bobb Alagie’ was shot by the owner of the migrant reception center where he was lodged.

Bobb agreed to be interviewed for this film but for security reasons we are concealing his face.

10:02:06:06

[contributor “Bobb Alagiéee, Asylum seeker from the Gambia”]

Bobb Alagiéee

From wWhen I have this incident problem, sometimes it’s just like there’s a current inside my brain. So I cannot remember many things now.

What I can remember, I was standing downstairs when the guy come. So that’s the time  andhe shoot me inside my mouth.  and Ffive teeth they are broken inside my mouth. So that guy wanted to kill me.

10:02:33:17

VO

Bobb had traveled from the Gambia to Italy via Libya, where he says he was badly tortured.

10:02:40:24

[contributor “Bobb Alagiee, Asylum seeker from the Gambia”]

Bobb Alagiee

I was having there my arm and my knee. My , elbow, everything is broken, so I think that if I come to Europe I may be cured.

10:02:53:01

VO

Once in Italy – and still in great pain -  Bobb was sent to the Gricignano  centre. Like all such privately-owned facilities it was obliged to provide medical care for its residents – but Bobb says his pleas for help were ignored.

10:03:09:15

[contributor “Bobb Alagiee, Asylum seeker from the Gambia”]

Bobb Alagiee

Because of my injuries I have, every year day I’ve been complaining to the man: “Please, take me to the hospital”. But I think I have gone to the hospital only once. For 1 year 3 months I’ve been there.

10:03:20:11

[ANW_02660_02 Tension percussion build – audio network]

44:15

10:03:21:16

VO

According to another resident, that wasn’t the only problem. The centre was desperately overcrowded.

10:03:29:00

[contributor “Lamine Traore, Prosecution witness, Asylum seeker from Senegal”]

Lamine Traoré

There were sixteen people in each home, how many is that? There are twelve homes and there were over 180 people living here. We lived like savages, like animals.

They turned the kitchens into bedrooms. There were showers on the top floor and there were people living in the showers. That’s where Bobb was staying.

Chaque maison prend 16 personnes, c’est combien? C’est douze villas; on était plus que 180 personnes qui vivaient ici. On vivait sauvagement ici, on vivait comme les animaux. Les cuisines là, ils ont transformé les cuisines comme des chambres à coucher.  Il y a des douches en haut,  tous les douches habitaient des gens. La bas ou habitait Bobb.

10:03:49:15

VO

In protest, Bobb set fire to the mattress on his bed. That’s when the owner of the center showed up and shot him.

10:03:57:15

[contributor “Bobb Alagiee, Asylum seeker from the Gambia”]

Bobb Alagiee

The bullet , the position it is… it is very difficult to operate it and to remove it, so I’m still living with it.

10:04:11:00

[ANW2641_20_Crisis-11-(60) – audio network]

10:04:11:23

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

[Still – Invisible Dog]

VO

The centre’s owner – who’d shot Bobb Alagie with an illegal weapon - was a local businessman called Carmine Della Gatta.

10:04:20:03

[contributor “Hilarry Sedu, Bobb Alagiee’s lawyer”]

Hilarry Sedu

Eng. According to witnesses he is a very exuberant and wealthy individual. People called him the ‘Berlusconi of Gricignano’.

Chi è Carmine Della Gatta? Dal racconto di alcuni testimoni una persona estremamente esuberante e molto molto ricca, tant'è che veniva definito il Berlusconi di Gricignano.

10:04:32:16

VO

Carmine Della Gatta’s interests had previously ranged from construction to chicken farms – until he decided to house migrants inside some of his properties.

We went to Della Gatta’s mansion in Gricignano. We wanted to ask how his previous experience had qualified him to provide assistance to asylum seekers.

10:04:54:09

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

Emanuele Piano

Eng. He’s currently under house arrest and cannot speak with anyone. I understand.

10:04:58:13

[ANW1956_13_Followed-7-(30) – audio network]

10:05:00:20

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

10:05:10:18

VO

The center where Bobb was shot has since been closed by the authorities and Carmine Della Gatta has been forced to step down from the business. He is now awaiting trial for attempted murder.

Like too many other operators of Italy’s privately owned reception centres, he’d been found wanting.

10:05:20:16

[contributor “Hilarry Sedu, Bobb Alagiee’s lawyer”]

Hilarry Sedu

These individuals were doing entirely different jobs until they understood that they could make a lot of money from the immigration emergency. They jumped into the business with neither the experience nor the humanitarian spirit needed to carry out the task.

Questi sono soggetti che facevano tutti altri mestieri, sono soggetti che hanno capito che il momento emergenziale dell’emigrazione poteva portare un sacco di danaro e si sono cimentati a fare questa attività senza averne le basi e senza averne soprattutto l’umanità per poterla fare.

10:05:38:02

[ANW2014_02_Mystery-Train – audio network]

10:05:42:13

VO

But it isn’t just the inexperienced and greedy who’ve spotted a chance to make money from migrants. Across southern Italy, where most of the centers are based, few business opportunities escape the scrutiny of more organized criminals. 

10:05:58:24

[contributor “Erasmo Palazzotto, Italian Member of Parliament and former member of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the Migrant Reception System”]

Erasmo Palazzotto

The fragmentation of our reception system and the ongoing emergency have favored widespread corruption and speculation. We have discovered the existence of a new kind of mafia in our country.

There is a popular saying: “Migrants are worth more than drugs”.

La grande frammentazione del sistema di accoglienza e la continua emergenza sono quelli che hanno favorito una serie di fenomeni corruttivi e speculativi su cui addirittura nel nostro paese siamo venuti a scoprire l’esistenza di una nuova mafia. Una frase celebre è quella che dice che I migranti valgono più della droga.

Obviously tThere is a famous saying

10:06:17:21

VO

Erasmo Palazzotto is a member of the Italian parliament and a former member of a Parliamentary Commission that looked into the management of the Italian migrant reception system. It’s a business worth over 4 billion euros per year, in which every migrant is valued at roughly at 35 euros per day.

10:06:38:15

[contributor “Erasmo Palazzotto, Italian Member of Parliament and former member of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the Migrant Reception System”]

Erasmo Palazzotto

The 35 euros per day should include a migrant’s reception, food, pocket money and should be used to supply a number of services ranging from translations to psychological assistance, integration support and language courses. But often none of these services are provided.

Nella famosa quota dei 35 euro al giorno dovrebbero essere compresi come servizi di assistenza ed accoglienza ai migranti, il cibo, il pocket money, e poi dovrebbero essere garantiti tutti I servizi di assistenza sociale, mediazione linguistica, assistenza psicologica, processi di integrazione, corsi di lingua, ma molto spesso tutto questo non avviene. In theory t

10:07:02:22

Guys…I know this is saying something quite similar to lines I’ve added to the opening, but I want to emphasise the point.

VO

Part of the problem, he told us, lies the haphazard way contracts for the privately-run emergency reception centers are handed out - by local prefectures acting on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Interior.

10:07:13:22

[contributor “Erasmo Palazzotto, Italian Member of Parliament and former member of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the Migrant Reception System”]

Erasmo Palazzotto

The vulnerability that allows for speculation to occur is within the prefectures themselves.

This is because the monitoring system, when compared to the sheer scale of the reception system is completely inadequate.

E’ proprio nelle prefetture che si crea il principale vulnus che ha permesso il sistema speculativo. Il risultato di questa vicenda è che il sistema dei controlli rispetto alla dimensione del sistema di accoglienza è del tutto insufficiente.

10:07:29:07

[ANW2816_08_Until-Now – audio network]

10:07:31:19

[contributor “Moussa Diakite, Asylum seeker from Ivory Coast”]

Moussa Diakité

 Le centre d’accueil dans lequel on m’a amené, c’est pas un centre d’accueil, pour moi c’est comme un ghetto.

TThe reception center where I was taken is not a center at all. For me it’s like a ghetto.

10:07:39:21

VO

Moussa Diakité is an asylum seeker from the Ivory Coast who was housed in a privately-owned emergency reception center in a small town called Villa Literno, near Naples. His experiences are revealing.

10:07:51:18

[contributor “Moussa Diakite, Asylum seeker from Ivory Coast”]

Moussa Diakité

Eng. There was nothing inside the center when we arrived. We didn’t undergo a medical screening. There was no sanitary kit. And we had to stage a protest to receive a sanitary kit and some clothing.

Il n’y avait pratiquement rien dans ce centre, nous n’avons fait aucun screening médical, aucun kit igenico, et il fallait que nous faisons une protestation pour pouvoir avoir rien que le kit hygiénique et les vêtements.

10:08:02:19

[ANW2816_08_Until-Now – audio network]

10:08:06:07

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

VO

The centre into which Moussa was placed, is managed by a company called ‘La Rinascente two point zero’.

After the protest, the company filed a report against Diakité, accusing him of violating internal rules and told him he had to leave.After the protest, the company filed a report against Diakité, accusing him of violating internal rules and told him he had to leave.

10:08:30:20

[contributor “Moussa Diakite, Asylum seeker from Ivory Coast”]

Moussa Diakité

I don’t agree with what is written in my revocation. All I did was ask to be given what was due to me by right. We demanded only what we were entitled to.

Ce qui est écrit dans la révocation, moi je ne me reconnais pas dans ces faits. Puisque tout ce que j’ai fait c’est de demander les droits, ce qui nous devons avoir régulièrement, tout ce qui nous avons demandé dans ce centre.

10:08:40:00

[ANW2915_08_Narrow-Escape – audio network]

10:08:40:11

VO

After being ousted from the center,  Diakité sought assistance from “Je so Pazz”, a group of activists based in this former psychiatric hospital in Naples.

Abdel El Mir is one of the group’s volunteers .

10:08:57:07

[contributor “Abdelouadad El Mir, Volunteer ‘Je so Pazz’, Naples”]

Abdel El Mir

We decided to carry out a grassroots monitoring activity that we called ‘people’s control’ to understand how these centers work and what happens inside them.

Abbiamo deciso di fare un’attività di monitoraggio dal basso che noi abbiamo ribattezzato “controllo popolare” per diciamo capire come funzionano e cosa succede all’interno di questi centri.We began operating about two years ago.

W

0:09:12:21

VO

Working with Moussa Diakité, Abdel focused his attention on conditions inside the La Rinascente Two.Zero centre in Villa Literno.

10:09:22:13

[contributor “Abdelouadad El Mir, Volunteer ‘Je so Pazz’, Naples”]

[contributor “Moussa Diakite, Asylum seeker from Ivory Coast”]

Abdel El Mir

Eng. In this report we collected the witness accounts of people who live inside the Villa Literno reception center.

Abbiamo raccolte le testimonianze dei ragazzi che vivono in questo centro di accoglienza a Villa Literno.

Moussa Diakité

I took these pictures of the garbage that’s laying in and around the center. We then sent this report to the Prefecture.

C’est moi même qui a fait les photos de toute cette saleté au sein du campo. Et tout ce rapport nous l’avons envoyé à la Préfecture.

10:09:42:08

[ANW2641_04_Magma – audio network]

10:09:43:04

VO

The center is one of the biggest in the area, housing up to 288 migrants.

It’s buried deep in the countryside, at least an hour’s walk from the nearest bus stop.

Abdel and Diakité offered to take us to see it, to find out whether anything had changed.

According to the report, the center lacks many of the basic services that the owners are contractually obliged to provide.

These claims are corroborated by videos the migrants shot themselves.

[contributor “Emanuele, Invisible Dog journalist”]

E - Bonjour les gars, c’est comment? Ça va?

Eng. Hello guys, how are things? 10:10:19:02

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

Asylum Seeker Video

Today is Wednesday the 28th at 10 o’clock, there’s no doctor. But they say that there is a doctor. Here is someone who fell from his bike, he comes looking for the doctor but the place is closed, so he leaves.

Aujourd’hui c’est mercredi le 28, à 10 heures il n’y pas de médecins ici, il nous font croire qu’il y a des médecins, voila quelqu’un qui est tombé de son vélo,regardez le médecin c’est fermé, il retourne.

10:10:34:02

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

Emanuele:  Health assistance. Is there a doctor inside the center?

Migrant:  The doctor does nothing. This is all there is.they give us.

E: What’s this?

M – Whatever your ailment, you are given this.

E: There is no doctor? What if somebody is sick? Where does he go?

M – He’s going to die. There’s Nnothing here.

10:10:56:18

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

Asylum Seeker Video

These clothes were given to us in May 2017. Now we are in March 2018. And these are the only clothes we’ve received since.

Ce complet qui est là, c’est le 5me mois de 2017 qu’on reçu ça, actuellement on est au 3me mois 2018, à part ce complet on a rien reçu.

10:11:08:19

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

10:11:26:24

E- How about the clothes?

M – They didn’t give us any winter clothing. This here, we took it from the garbage.

E – What are you asking for?

M – We are asking that they file our papers because our permits have not been renewed for the past six months. The rooms are disorderly and the air conditioning... we spent all winter without heating. That’s what we asked for. That’s how it is. Here, nothing works. Nothing.

10:11:42:13

[ANW2841_54_Start-Somewhere-2 – audio network]

10:11:42:20

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

Asylum Seeker Video

Look at the living conditions of the migrants. Today, the shower ceiling collapsed. This is the migrants’ shower in Villa Literno. La Rinascente Cooperative 2.0.

Regardez la condition dans laquelle sont les migrants, aujourd’hui la douche vienne de s’écrouler, ça c’est la douche des migrants à Villa Literno, La Rinascente Cooperative 2.0

10:11:55:08

VO

As we were talking to the residents, Lorenzo Grimaldi, the center’s coordinator, turned up and agreed to speak to us.

10:12:03:07

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

[contributor “Lorenzo Grimaldi, Coordinator for ‘La Rinascente 2.0”]

E:You work for the Rinascente? Is it a sSocial cCooperative companyEnterprise?

G – Yes, it is company.

E – How many years has the cooperative worked in the socialwelfare sector?

G – From the end of 2015 if I am not mistaken.

 The first immigrant center started around 2016.

E – And what was this cCooperative company doing before then?

G – I don’t know, because I’ve been working with them for a year and a half. I know what we’ve been doing about it for the past year and a half. Before then, I can’t say.

E – And what were you doing before working here? What is your area of expertise?

G – I am the coordinator here. Prior to this I was involved in other activities.

E – What kind of activities?

G – I was an accountant for a construction company. But I don’t think it’sit is relevant.

E Ah, i– In a construction company, and now you’re coordinating a immigrantreception center. So dDo you think that the expertiseskills needed for these two jobs isare the same?

G – I don’t think that nobodyanyone is born learned in life, right? So wWe learn things little by little as time goes by. That’s how I became a coordinator.

G – We have a psychologist, an Italian teacher, a lawyer. All of the professionals required by the Police and by the Prefectures are present inside the center.

10:12:53:12

[ANW2556_39_A-Gentle-Breeze-7-(60) – audio network]

10:13:13:13

VO

But when we asked Grimaldi to let us inside the center to look around, he refused.

10:13:20:07

[contributor “Moussa Diakite, Asylum seeker from Ivory Coast”]

Moussa Diakité

When you want to integrate someone, you can’t put him in the middle of nowhere. If we can’t even communicate with the locals, how are we supposed to integrate?

It’s just a huge business. It’s the managers of these centers that are making money off the migrants.

Lorsqu’on doit faire une intégration, on ne peut pas prendre des gens et les mettre sur un territoire isolé, si nous arrivons pas à communiquer avec les gens du pays, comment peut on faire une intégration? C’est un système de business seulement, ces sont les gestionnaires de ces centre qui font des sous sur nous les migrants.

10:13:38:07

[ANW2640_04_Fear-Asylum – audio network]

10:13:39:04

VO

We decided to raise some of these concerns with the local prefecture in, Caserta – which is responsible for overseeing local the regions’ reception centers, including the one in Villa Literno.

Saveria Macchiarella is the deputy Prefect.

10:13:53:12

[contributor “Savina Macchiarella, Deputy-Prefect, Caserta”]

Savina Macchiarella

We have greatly increased the number of inspections in the centers. On average, we carry out 4 to 5 inspections per week. And what has this produced?

We noticed that, within a short period of time, there was a sensible increase in the quality and the quantity of the reception services offered.

Abbiamo aumentato a dismisura I numeri delle visite ispettive nei centri. Abbiamo una media di 4-5 ispezioni alla settimana, questo che cosa ha creato? Abbiamo già visto che in un periodo breve un aumento dei livelli qualitativi e quantitativi dei servizi di accoglienza.

10:14:13:11

VO

We asked Mrs Macchiarella whether the Villa Literno center was among the facilities visited by her team.

10:14:21:01

[contributor “Savina Macchiarella, Deputy-Prefect, Caserta”]

Savina Macchiarella

The facility was inspected twice and we found several critical issues regarding mostly the hygienic-sanitary conditions within.

I think that the main concern in this specific case is the high concentration of migrants.

La struttura è stata interessata da due ispezioni e sono state rilevate parecchie criticità che riguardano però soprattutto le condizioni igenico sanitarie.

Io penso che la maggior criticità in questa situazione è la grande concentrazione del numero dei migranti.

10:14:42:21

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

VO

But while talking to the migrants we’d discovered something even more sinister about the Villa Literno center.

 – which seemed to catch the deputy prefect off guard.

10:14:50:02

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

Emanuele Piano

Do you know who provides catering to La Rinascente 2.0?

10:15:04:02

[contributor “Savina Macchiarella, Deputy-Prefect, Caserta”]

Savina Macchiarella

Since it’s not a subcontract but rather a procurement, we are not informed.

Non essendo servizi di subappalto ma semplicemente di fornitori secondari, a noi non viene comunicato.

10:15:10:02

[ANW2988_04_Clocks-Ticking – audio network]

10:15:17:20

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

Live

This is today’s meal.

Ca c’est la nourriture d’aujourd’hui

10:15:22:07

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

[Graphics – La Fattoria Anti-Mafia Decree]

10:15:38:02

VO

The company providing food for the migrants in the Villa Literno reception center is called La Fattoria Srl.

The labels on the meal packs given to the residents clearly bear the company’s name.

But we discovered that La Fattoria Srl had been sanctioned by the Prefecture of Naples in Junes 2017 because of its alleged links to the Camorra, the local mafia.

Since then, according to Italian law, they have been officially banned from participating and benefitting in any state funded tenders – or from obtaining public money.

10:15:58:18

[contributor “Emanuele Piano, Invisible Dog journalist”]

[contributor “Savina Macchiarella, Deputy-Prefect, Caserta”]

Emanuele Piano

What are you going to do about it?

Savina Macchiarella

Eng. I will certainly notify my colleague in charge of the bids for the new tender… and I will also talk to the supervisors of the procurement office. I didn’t know about it.

Io avviserò sicuramente la collega presidente della gara per la nuova gara e anche avviserò della situazione i colleghi, i responsabili dell’ufficio gare. Io non lo sapevo.

Emanuele Piano

But this leads to the paradox that the Italian State is financing the mafia.

Savina Macchiarella

You are right. You are absolutely right.

Io le do ragione, assolutamente ragione.I would admit that y

10:16:27:21

[ANW2988_04_Clocks-Ticking – audio network]

10:16:30:22

[Asylum Seekers’ Stills – Invisible Dog]

VO

We recorded this interview in early May 2018.

Over a month later, we’ve received evidence that La Fattoria is still catering for the Villa Literno center.

10:16:37:15

[ANW2801_03_Solaris-Rising-Toolkit – audio network]

10:16:41:11

VO

As we investigated further, it became clear that the absence of effective regulatory oversight makes the migrant business a magnet for organized crime.

Sometimes behind the most innocent looking facade.

10:16:58:17

[Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

VO

We’re in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, a small town in the southern Italian region of Calabria.

The man speaking is Father  Edoardo Scordio, the local parish priest, while thise man standing beside him is called Leonardo Sacco, thea deputy President of the Misericordia, one of Italy’s oldest and most important charity organizations dating back to the 12^th century.

10:17:33:01

[contributor “Giuseppe De Stefano, Former Vice-President of the Misericordia”]

Giuseppe De Stefano

What we call Misericordia originates from the confraternal traditions of the Middle Ages.

Feeding the hungry and clothing the naked is our core business.

Quello che noi in maniera molto semplificata chiamiamo Misericordia si rifà alla tradizione confraternale che affonda le sue origini nel medioevo. Quindi per noi dar da mangiare agli affamati, vestire l’ignudo è il nostro core business.

10:17:48:21

[ANW3014_06_Grim – audio network]

10:17:50:09

I’ve generalised his title in the script here (though we can keep in on screen super) because otherwise it’s confusing as to who was a deputy president…him or  Sacco [Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

VO

Giuseppe De Stefano is a former senior official of the Misericordia association.

10:17:55:21

[contributor “Giuseppe De Stefano, Former Vice-President of the Misericordia”]

Giuseppe De Stefano

The Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto developed exponentially, hyperbolically.

I first met Brother Sacco when he was a young volunteer driven by a marvelous dedication to the cause. A few years later, he had become the manager of a major corporation.

La Misericordia di Isola Capo Rizzuto ebbe uno sviluppo esponenziale, iperbolico. Il confratello Sacco io l’ho visto giovane volontario con uno spirito di dedizione meraviglioso. Dopo qualche anno Sacco vestiva il ruolo di manager di una grossa azienda.

10:18:16:15

[Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

Live

Leonardo Sacco

I think that the experience, the know-how and the expertise we have gained at the Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto should be replicated in other Misericordia branches across Italy.

Credo che l’esperienza, il know-how le competenze acquisite dalla Misericordia di Isola sono delle esperienze che possono essere presto ripetute in altre Misericordie sul territorio italiano.

10:18:31:21

[ANW3014_101_Connect-The-Dots-11-(30) – audio network]

10:18:34:03

VO

TIn 2003 (7?), the revenues of the Misericordia in Isola di Capo Rizzuto began to grow exponentially in 2001 when it won the bid to provide services, due to the income it began to derived from  to one of Italy’s largest State-owned migrant reception centers.

10:18:49:21

[contributor “Giuseppe De Stefano, Former Vice-President of the Misericordia”]

Giuseppe De Stefano

There are times when the economic and financial needs of an association can turn a reception center into a manna from heaven.

Ci sono dei momenti in cui delle esigenze, magari economico finanziarie, di quella associazione fanno sì che si possa intendere manna discesa dal cielo un CARA.The financial statements of the Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto became, in a span of 3 to 5 years, similar to the statements of the most ancient Misericordias from Tuscany, which only accumulated such wealth after several centuries of activity.

10:18:58:24

[ANW3014_99_Connect-The-Dots-9-(60) – audio network]

10:19:02:24

[Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

VO

The reception center was worth millions of euro per year.

Thanks to thise huge cash turnover from the reception center, Father Edoardo Scordio and Leonardo Sacco – officers of the Misericordia - were able to embark on many ambitious projects in and around Isola di Capo Rizzuto.

By early 2017, the Misericordia and the Parish Church  organisation owned a number of assets, including a local football club, a stake in the nearby airport and a fabulous seaside sanctuary dedicated to the Greek Madonna.

A decade earlier, Giuseppe De Stefano had noticed that something wasn’t right.

No-one paid much attention to anxieties about this fantastic wealth, that had been first raised by Giuseppe De Stefano ten years earlier.

10:19:34:21

[contributor “Giuseppe De Stefano, Former Vice-President of the Misericordia”]

Giuseppe De Stefano

I learned that some of the Misericordia’s employees’ salaries were being illegitimately axed… They told me: “On paper I’m making 1000, but I only receive 700 euros”. I thought that I should look into the matter.

Individuai che alcuni lavoratori avevano una decurtazione illegittima in quel caso della busta paga. Se quei ragazzi mi chiamavano, sì vabbé sulla carta guadagno mille, ma in realtà ne ho 700. Questo mi sembrò da approfondire.

10:19:43:03

[ANW1941_04_Sadness – audio network]

10:19:54:18

VO

Deeply concernedworried by what was happening in Isola Capo Rizzutowhat he’d been told, De Stefano raised his concerns with the Misericordia’s top management.

But instead of the investigation he’d hoped for, he was demoted and his warnings were ignored for a decade.

10:20:09:01

[contributor “Giuseppe De Stefano, Former Vice-President of the Misericordia”]

Giuseppe De Stefano

When you dedicate your life to volunteer work, your association becomes your reason for living. Would I do the sameagain? Yes I would. Did I pay for my actions? Yes I did. I am now an outcast.

Per chi fa una scelta di vita nel volontariato, la propria associazione è una ragione di vita. Mi ricomporterei così? Sì, mi ricomporterei così. Mi è costato? Sì, ormai sono un emarginato.

10:20:23:19

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

VO

But in May 2017 De Stefano’s dire warnings came true. 

That month the Misericordia was hit by a wave of arrests as part of a police anti-mafia investigation called Operation Jonny.

Nicola Gratteri was lead prosecutor on the investigation.

10:20:30:14

[ANW1654_07_Rhythm-Police – audio network]

10:20:50:08

[contributor “Nicola Gratteri, Chief Prosecutor, Catanzaro”]

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

Nicola Gratteri

Operation Jonny focused on drug trafficking, illegal gambling, public tenders, and most importantly on what we believe to be the mafia-driven management of the migrant reception center in Isola di Capo Rizzuto.

L’operazione Jonny ha riguardato un traffico di droga, un giro di scommesse clandestine, di appalti, ma ha riguardato anche e soprattutto la gestione che noi diciamo mafiosa del centro di accoglienza di Isola Capo Rizzuto.

10:21:07:17

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

VO

According to Gratteri, Leonardo Sacco and Father Edoardo Scordio were the link between the Misericordia and the Ndrangheta, the all powerful Calabrian mafia.

10:21:20:04

[contributor “Nicola Gratteri, Chief Prosecutor, Catanzaro”]

Nicola Gratteri

The Misericordia played an active role. Sacco, together with the Priest, played an important role in promoting the criminal association.

La Misericordia ha avuto un ruolo attivo. Diciamo che Sacco assieme al Prete ha avuto un ruolo attivo, importante, di promotore dell’associazione.He was the mediator not only with the official, clean, side but also with the criminal organizations.

10:21:30:10

[ANW2197_07_Ugly-Truth-3 – audio network]

10:21:34:07

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

VO

The authorities believe that Sacco and Scordio were instrumental in helping the Mafia to get control of subcontracts for catering and other services meant to be provided to the migrants in the reception center.

10:21:52:00

[contributor “Nicola Gratteri, Chief Prosecutor, Catanzaro”]

Nicola Gratteri

Nel momento in cui si fa un contratto ad esempio per 1000 pasti al giorno, ma nella struttura di sono 5-600 persone, è ovvio che noi abbiamo 4-500 pasti che non vengono consumati, ma I soldi vengono incassati.

If we have a contract for 1000 meals per day but there were are only 5 to 6 hundred individuals inside the facility, it means that 4 toor 5 hundred meals wereare paid for but never actually served.

10:22:09:05

[ANW2853_06_Oppressive – audio network]

10:22:11:04

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

[Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

VO

Prosecutors say that the catering company serving the reception center was diverting public money into the pockets of a local Ndrangheta clan.

the Arena family – a powerful 'Ndrangheta clan.

Leonardo Sacco and Father Scordio were allegedly receiving kickbacks as part of the deal. The investigation’s secret surveillance video backs this up

10:22:32:23

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

Mob Boss

Se mi chiedono dove hai messo quei 400 mila euro?

Eng. Where did you put those 400 thousand?

Mob Lieutenant

Eng. I gave them to Leonardo Sacco and to the Priest. They split the sum among themselves.

A Leonardo Sacco e u’ Prete. Si li sono spartiti loro.

10:22:42:24

[contributor “Nicola Gratteri, Chief Prosecutor, Catanzaro”]

Nicola Gratteri

Father Scordio managed to take the 180 thousand euros destined to the purchase of newspapers for the migrants. The money was diverted to the Priest to pay for the alleged Spiritual Care he gave the migrants

Padre Scordio ad esempio è riuscito ad ottenere 180mila euro che erano destinati all’acquisto di giornali per gli extracomunitari, ma in realtà questi 180 mila euro sono stati stornati per fare sostegno spirituale agli extracomunitari.

10:23:04:15

VO

Prosecutors say that management of migrant reception centers accounts is second only to narcotics as an important income source for the Mafia.

10:23:15:16

[contributor “Nicola Gratteri, Chief Prosecutor, Catanzaro”]

Nicola Gratteri

We seized apartments, luxury cars, motorcycles, jet skis and yachts.

According to investigations by the Financial Guard, the ‘Ndrangheta made 110 million euros from the center in the course of at least 8 to 9 years.

Noi abbiamo sequestrato appartamenti, auto di lusso, moto, acqua scooter e barche. Secondo gli accertamenti fatti dalla Guardia di Finanza l’Ndrangheta avrebbe incassato 110 milioni di euro nel corso di almeno 8-9 anni.

10:23:33:20

[ANW2966_100_Seventh-Seal-11 – audio network]

10:23:34:03

[contributor “Alessandro Righi, Journalist, Invisible Dog”]

VO

Despite the arrests, the Misericordia continues to manage the migrant reception center in Isola di Capo Rizzuto today.

We contacted its new director, Vitaliano Fulciniti, who initially agreed to be interviewed, but later failed to show up or answer our telephone calls. We spoke to him briefly on the phone.

Today, Leonardo Sacco is being held in solitary confinement while waiting to stand trial.

As for Father Edoardo, he has been put under house arrests in a remote northern Italian monastery and is unavailable for comment.

10:23:49:23

[contributor “Vitaliano Fulciniti, Misericordia Isola di Capo Rizzuto”]

Gaetano Fulciniti – Phone Call

It is impossible for me to answer any question regarding the current judicial proceedings.

Non è assolutamente possibile che io le risponda su una domanda che possa vertere su quella che è la situazione giudiziaria in corso.

10:24:17:01

[ANW3010_101_Are-You-There-6-(60) – audio network]

10:24:00:16

[Misericordia of Isola di Capo Rizzuto Archive – Misericordia handout]

VO

Today, Leonardo Sacco is being held in solitary confinement while waiting to stand trial.

As for Father Edoardo, he has been put under house arrests in a remote northern Italian monastery and is unavailable for comment.

10:24:16:22

[Archive – Invisible Dog]

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

[Operation Jonny – Police handout]

[Asylum Seekers’ Video – Invisible Dog]

VO

Overall, the billions of euros handed without proper oversight by the Italian state to improvised aid workers - when not to criminal gangs - have fueled widespread corruption around the migrant reception business and filled the coffers of the Mob.

So long as governments look the other way and avoid responsible action in dealing with asylum seekers, ruthless speculators will continue to profit unlawfully from those in desperate need.